Taylor Rogers, a master of public health student in the health equity track, is spending the summer conducting research on cervical cancer disparities in Tanzania, thanks to a research award from the University of Nebraska College of Public Health's Cancer Epidemiology in Special Populations program.

Her focus will be on analyzing disparities in cervical cancer screening follow-up and treatment among Tanzanian women. Cervical cancer is largely preventable, yet is the leading cause of cancer and cancer deaths for women in sub-Saharan Africa. Ms. Rogers writes, “The project is a continuation of last year's CEESP fellow who found that about 50% of women who receive a positive cervical cancer screening at their local clinic do not use their referral to the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), which is the only cancer treatment center in Tanzania. I was drawn to Tanzania as cervical cancer is the most common cancer there. In fact, 80% of ORCI patients are being treated for cervical cancer. At this point, you may be thinking about the HPV vaccine and how it prevents cervical cancer. As it stands right now, the HPV vaccine is not available in Tanzania. Needlessness to say, I'm happy that my work will bring these barriers to light so they can be addressed and resolved.”

Ms. Rogers' mentor on the project is Dr. Stephen Thomas, director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity and professor in the Department of Health Services Administration.